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Introduction to Neuroanatomy: Short Answer Assessment Jessica Pena Master of Science in Nursing, Walden University COURSE NURS 6630: Psychopharmacological Approaches to Treat Psychopathology Dr. Bradley December 6, 2020

2 Short Answer Assessment 1. In 4 or 5 sentences, describe the anatomy of the basic unit of the nervous system, the neuron. Include each part of the neuron and a general overview of electrical impulse conduction, the pathway it travels, and the net result at the termination of the impulse. Be specific and provide examples. Neurons (neurones or nerve cells) are the fundamental units of the brain and the nervous system which are responsible for receiving sensory input, sending motor commands to muscles, and transforming and relaying the electrical signals over long distances within the body (Camprodon & Roffman, 2016). A basic analogy of a neuron is to compare it to a tree. With three main parts: dendrites, an axon, and a cell body or soma which may be represented as the branches, roots and trunk of a tree, respectfully. Dendrites are responsible for receiving input from other cells, the spines that branch out of a dendrite are the postsynaptic contact site, the axon is the transmitting part of the neuron which action potentials are generated (Camprodon & Roffman, 2016). A general electrical impulse is typically generated in the axon which sends active signals to neurons. A nerve impulse travels along the neuron to the axon which causes the release of neurotransmitters into the synapse, this release allows the neurons in each cell to communicate (Camprodon & Roffman, 2016). For example, during an electrical impulse from the heart muscle (myocardium) an electrical impulse begins in the sinoatrial (SA) node located at the top of the right atrium, to the atrioventricular node (AV node) where impulses travel down the conduction pathway via the bundle of His into the ventricles where the bundles of His divides into two (right and left) pathways called the bundle branches to stimulate both ventricles (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NIH), n.d.). Each contraction of the ventricles represents one heartbeat. 2. Answer the following (listing is acceptable for these questions): 1. What are the major components that make up the subcortical structures?  2.

Which component plays a role in learning, memory, and addiction? 

3.

Diencephalon, pituitary gland, limbic structures, and basal ganglia (Sonne, 2020).

Dopamine

What are the two key neurotransmitters located in the nigra striatal region of the brain that play a major role in motor control? 

Pars compacta (SNpc) containing dopaminergic neurons and pars reticulata (SNpr) with inhibitor gamma-aminobutyric acid-containing (or GABAergic) neurons (Sonne, 2020).

3. In 3 or 4 sentences, explain how glia cells function in the central nervous system. Be specific and provide examples.

3 Glia cells are non-neuronal cells in the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system. Glia cells do not produce electrical impulses. Their responsible for maintaining homeostasis, form myelin, provide support and protection for neurons (Jäkel & Dimou, 2017). There are three different types of glia cells in the mature CNS; astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and microglial cells. Astrocytes control the levels of neurotransmitter around the synapse by controlling the concentrations of ions like potassium, and providing metabolic support (Jäkel & Dimou, 2017). Oligodendrocytes are responsible for providing support to axons of neurons in the CNS particularly within the brain and microglial cells are the brains immune cells protection the brain against injury and disease (Jäkel & Dimou, 2017). 4. The synapse is an area between two neurons that allows for chemical communication. In 3 or 4 sentences, explain what part of the neurons are communicating with each other and in which direction does this communication occur? Be specific. When an electrical impulse (action potential) reaches the presynaptic vesicles, it causes a release of contents of neurotransmitters from the neuron. Neurotransmitters then carry the signal across the synaptic gap where they bind to receptor sites on the postsynaptic cell and depending on the neuron release, whether positive (NA+, K+, Ca+) or negative ions (Cl-) it will travel through channels that span the membrane thereby completing the process of synaptic transmission (Jäkel & Dimou, 2017). 5. In 3–5 sentences, explain the concept of “neuroplasticity.” Be specific and provide examples. Neuroplasticity describes how the brain can change throughout life to adapt, learn, and even recover from brain injury. It describes how neural pathways are reorganized when a new experience is registered in the brain (Shaffer, 2016). Neuroplasticity also allows brain nerve cells to compensate for injury and disease in response to the damage inflicted by a stroke, for example. When learning and memorizing new information the changes in the neural connections is an example of neuroplasticity (Shaffer, 2016).

4 References: Camprodon, J. A., & Roffman, J. L. (2016). Psychiatric neuroscience: Incorporating pathophysiology into clinical case formulation. In T. A. Stern, M. Favo, T. E. Wilens, & J. F. Rosenbaum. (Eds.), Massachusetts General Hospital psychopharmacology and neurotherapeutics (pp. 1–19). Elsevier.

Jäkel, S., & Dimou, L. (2017). Glial Cells and Their Function in the Adult Brain: A Journey through the History of Their Ablation. Retrieved from https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fncel.2017.00024/full

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. (n.d.). How the Heart Works. Retrieved from https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/how-heart-works

Shaffer, J. (2016). Neuroplasticity and Clinical Practice: Building Brain Power for Health. Retrieved December from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4960264/

Sonne, J. (2020). Neuroanatomy, Substantia Nigra. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK536995/...